Overweight since childhood,I spent most of my 30's tipping the scales around 250lbs. At age 41 I took charge of feeding myself by preparing all of my own meals, no more fast foods! I created a way to use my love of cooking, food, and eating to permanently lose over 100lbs. During this time I discovered kettlebells and my own style of training The Kettlebell Swing, bringing out my inner athlete and erasing all signs of former lifelong obesity. It's never too late, YOU CAN DO IT!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The Most Fun You Can Have in 10 Minutes! (KB Fun that is)

Since starting my swing classes in January I've trained many students to increase their cardio finess levels within weeks, but few have kept training.....why? Because it's hard work! As amazing and transformative training kettlebells can be you still have to show up and do the work! I have a few students now that have put the time in and are now ready for a new challenge....

Mark and I have been training Max Vo2, every week, since it's introduction 3 years ago. I don't believe anyone has trained Max more consistenly than we have, in fact I'll go out on a limb and say that no one has trained it longer or as much as we have, which is why Kenneth Jay asked my brilliant husband, Master Instuctor Mark Reifkind to write the intro to his book, Viking Warrior Conditioning.....I even trained the "boost" protocol, designed as a peaking program for Max Vo2, for a few months last year, which I don't believe anyone else has done (it was freakin' hard!) Anyway......

Mark and I did a weekend workshop on how to train Max Vo2 a few months ago and now that I have a number of students snatching along with swinging in my classes I've added in a Max Vo2 class. Max V02 is a challenging workout for sure, but the point of training (as opposed to "working out") is to have a goal, a progressive plan for improvement. Sometimes for a race or meet, but for us non-competitve athletes, improving our fitness levels by increasing strength and conditioning. How do you know you're improving? Well, one way I decided to challenge a couple of my students was to test the SSST (10 minute Secret Service Snatch Test).

The SSST is a 10 minute "all out" snatch test for numbers. How many times can you snatch a kettlebell (12kg for women, 24kg for men) in 10 minutes, hopefully without putting the bell down, but you are allowed to put the bell down as many times as you need to. I first tested this myself a few years back and since then I've learned a number of strategies to help increase snatch numbers, but I've not trained specifically to re-test for it. I've also tested the USSST (Ultimate SSST) with the 16kg for 10 minutes! (that's next for my guys, lol).

So, this past Saturday, @ Equinox in Palo Alto, we tested for our "base line" snatch number. I went first, and then Meg, and then Gen. We all had the same feeling when it was over...."That was fun!" I didn't remember it being so much fun! Good Lord, it feels so good to do something so physically challenging in 10 minutes....it kind of gives your everyday training purpose! I'll put us all on a training schedule specifically designed to improve that baseline number in 12 weeks. We'll retest and see what happens!

Good job, no I mean, great job ladies! Let's see who'll go the distance.

9 comments:

I really need to try this to get a base down to see where I am at. Now that my snatch technique has been turned around 180 degrees (confident enough to NOT have to video tape it!) the snatches have been going really well. But I've concentrated more on the 2-handed swings lately. Up to 2.5 minutes work/30 seconds rest. Frickin' smokin' after that-damn, I LOVE these little bastards we call kettlebells! How anyone can do this for awhile and then NOT show up again to use them is just God forsaken STUPID! Why do I fear yet look SO FORWARD to you kicking my ass??!!! LOL!

Is there a place where one can read your description of the proper way to swing a kettlebell? I am interested in your style of training. I cannot do more than 20 swings before my lower back starts to hurt. How do you suggest building up so that I can actually swing long enough for it to be an actual workout?

I suspect I know what you may be doing wrong that is causing your lower back to hurt, but without seeing your form I'm cautious to post my opinion. I'll have Mark reply to your comment with his expertise.

But to answer you question, as I mentioned in the previous comment I don't post "instructional" videos, not do I write intructional KB blogposts, there are plenty of books and DVD's that do that.

Of course nothing is as good as working with an RKC. I've had plenty of students come to my classes having learned from a book or DVD, and I have yet to meet one that does it right! The good news is that they pick up the adjustments quickly and make the corrections needed.

About Me

I'm currently having the time of my life living and writing about food, diet, training and exercise. I'm happy, confident and strong. I'm proud of my 25 year marriage, my husband, my two boys, and myself!
I don't know quite what the future holds for me, but I'm all about making my life easier, not harder....I'm done with doing things the hard way!